Before, During and After:
Getting the Most Bang Out Of Your Site Launch 
Kim Brooks
Principal
Bardo Interactive Marketing


Your site is going to be the best, the most popular, the most
innovative. The press will gush. Visitors will flock. Advertisers
will line up. All of this and more... once everything is finished,
right? 

Perhaps you are waiting for more revenue before hiring
additional writers or programmers. Or maybe that amazing
database of information is simply taking a few weeks to
assemble. Rome wasn’t built in a day; nor was any successful
web site. 

Yet advertisers are waiting for proof of your success before
committing. Anyone who has sold web ads knows that selling
is hard enough; it’s near to impossible when you don't yet have
visitation numbers. 

You need visitors to get advertisers at launch. You need to
promote before you can get visitors. But you don’t want to
waste time and money promoting if the site is not ready. Your
web marketing plan is facing the classic chicken-egg
dilemma. 

Start Sooner Rather Than Later 

So when should you start web promotions? The answer is
simple: Now. Start building a visitation base as soon as
possible. It will give you a better idea of what numbers to
expect, and at least a short track record for your advertisers to
evaluate. 

Most sites should launch in phases. Here is a suggested plan
for three phases of a web launch: before it’s finished, the
formal launch, and after the launch. 

The Beta Launch: 

· Start with some basic promotions with a long cycle, like
search engine registration. Most search engines and indices
have a 2-6 week lead time before you will appear. Get in the
indices before you launch, then visitors will be able to find
immediately once your launch push begins. 

· Begin building a visitor base. Make sure anyone that visits
your "beta" site gives you their contact information. Have
contests or newsletter offers prominent to lure visitor
registration. Use this initial list to get feedback on the initial
site design and content. Once you launch, draw visitors back
by contacting them with launch announcements. 

· Let visitors know what is to come. Give samples of future
columns, forums, events or content areas. Create banners for
yourself advertising features that will be coming soon. Publish
real dates of the expected launch and stick to your schedule:
too often, "coming soon" has become the vague "ma¤ana" of
the web. 

The Real Thing: 

· Now you can notify the media, start linking with other sites,
solicit reviews and anything else to get attention. Don’t
announce the site until it’s ready for real coverage; due to the
immediacy of the web, early press releases may draw less
flattering reviews of your original beta site. 

· Use your existing visitor list from the beta phase. Contact
everyone with news of the official launch and what features are
debuting. For this special beta list, thank them for their early
participation and patience; reward them with free access to
pay areas or product discounts. 

· Start spending your budget. If you plan on buying web or print
ads, now is the time. The bulk of your efforts and money
towards creative and impressions should start now. 

Now that the launch is finished: 

· Start over. Your design and content should change and
evolve continuously. No web is every "finished;" therefore your
promotions are never "finished." Everything you learned about
promotions during the launch phase will come in handy for the
rest of your site’s lifespan. Notifications to your visitor list,
search engine registration, contact with the media, linking with
other sites, and advertising should all be continuous activities.
New sites debut every day with new promotional pushes. As
an "old" site, you need to work to stay fresh and in front.
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